US embassy cable - 01HARARE3635

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003635 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
ADDIS ABABA PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/05/11 
TAGS: OPDC, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT:  LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM ACTING PRESIDENT 
MUZENDA 
 
REF:  HARARE 3527 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON. 
REASONS:  1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) IN A DECEMBER 5 MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR, MFA 
DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS DELIVERED A 
LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM ACTING PRESIDENT SIMON 
MUZENDA.  THIS IS LIKELY THE LETTER PROMISED BY ZANU-PF 
INFORMATION SECRETARY NATHAN SHAMUYARIRA IN A NOVEMBER 20 
MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR (REFTEL).  THE SIGNED ORIGINAL 
HAS BEEN POUCHED TO AF/S. 
 
2.  (C) BEGIN TEXT: 
 
4 DECEMBER 2001 
 
DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, 
 
I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY THE DISCUSSIONS IN CONGRESS 
CONCERNING THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE, AND 
ESPECIALLY THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN MY COUNTRY.  I HAVE 
ALSO BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE CONCERNS WHICH YOUR GOVERNMENT 
HAS ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, 
ESPECIALLY YOUR DOUBTS AS TO WHETHER THEY WILL BE FREE AND 
FAIR. 
 
MAY I RESPOND TO THESE CONCERNS BY AFFIRMING TO YOU, MR. 
PRESIDENT, OUR SENSE OF COMMON BELIEF AND COMMITMENT WITH 
THE GOVERNMENT, CONGRESS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED 
STATES OF AMERICA ON ALL FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF GOOD 
GOVERNANCE AND OTHER VEXING CONCERNS OF OUR TIME.  WE WISH 
TO BUILD OUR RELATIONS WITH YOUR COUNTRY UPON THIS BASIS. 
 
MY GOVERNMENT AND PARTY WISH FURTHER TO AFFIRM TO YOU OUR 
BELIEF IN AND COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY, GOOD GOVERNANCE, 
PRESS FREEDOM, FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, ECONOMIC 
PROSPERITY, ANTI-TERRORISM, THE RULE OF LAW AND THE 
SEPARATION OF POWERS BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE, JUDICIARY AND 
THE LEGISLATURE.  WE BELIEVE FIRMLY IN CONSTITUTIONAL 
GOVERNANCE.  NOTHING IN OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES WILL 
NEGATE THESE FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS DURING OUR TERM OF OFFICE. 
 
AS REGARDS THE FORTHCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, I WISH 
TO ALLAY ANY DOUBTS AND ANXIETIES YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THEIR 
CONDUCT BY AFFIRMING TO YOU THAT MY GOVERNMENT AND PARTY 
WILL TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY AND DESIRABLE UNDER OUR 
LAWS TO ENSURE THAT THE ELECTIONS ARE FREE AND FAIR, AND 
ESPECIALLY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY VOTER IS ENABLED TO MAKE A 
FREE AND FEARLESS CHOICE OF WHOM THEY WANT AS THEIR NEXT 
PRESIDENT.  AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, MR. ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE 
WILL BE MY PARTY'S CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT. 
IT IS OUR ASSESSMENT THAT HE REMAINS THE BEST HOPE FOR OUR 
COUNTRY AND THAT THE PEOPLE WILL CAST THEIR VERDICT IN HIS 
FAVOUR. 
 
MR. MUGABE NEEDS YOUR GOOD WISHES.  HE SEEKS YOUR 
ASSISTANCE ESPECIALLY IN THE CONDEMNATION OF ALL THOSE 
ELEMENTS IN THE POLITICAL ARENA, LOCAL AND FOREIGN, WHO 
SEEM BENT ON PURSUING THEIR POLITICAL AMBITIONS THROUGH 
ACTS OF TERROR.  MY GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE RALLY SOLIDLY 
BEHIND YOUR CONDEMNATION OF ALL THOSE WHO SPONSOR AND GIVE 
COMFORT TO TERRORISM. 
 
FINALLY, I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT MY GOVERNMENT WILL 
INVITE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, INSTITUTIONS AND PROMINENT 
INDIVIDUALS TO COME AND OBSERVE THE ELECTORAL PROCESS 
BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.  YOUR 
GOVERNMENT IS OBVIOUSLY AMONG THE GOVERNMENTS THAT 
IMMEDIATELY COME TO OUR MIND AS WE CONSIDER WHO SHOULD 
OBSERVE OUR ELECTIONS. 
 
WHILE THE SITUATIONS IN OUR COUNTRIES ARE NOT IDENTICAL, I 
AM OF THE FIRM BELIEF THAT WE CAN HAVE, AS I BELIEVE WE DO 
ALREADY, A SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE NEED FOR ACCOUNTABLE 
GOVERNMENTS, THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY, THE RULE 
OF LAW, FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS AND ANTI-TERRORISM.  WE 
WILL PLAY OUR PART IN FULL TO REALIZE THESE GOALS. 
 
KINDLY ACCEPT, MR. PRESIDENT, MY GOOD WISHES TO YOU FOR 
YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH AND THE ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST 
REGARD. 
 
SIMON MUZENDA 
ACTING PRESIDENT 
 
END TEXT. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT: IN THE CONVOLUTED LOGIC OF ZIMBABWE, THE 
GOZ APPEARS TO HAVE WAITED UNTIL PRESIDENT MUGABE LEFT FOR 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ8211 
 
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O 051328Z DEC 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0471 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003635 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
ADDIS ABABA PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/05/11 
TAGS: OPDC, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT:  LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM ACTING PRESIDENT 
MUZENDA 
 
MADRID FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT BY AN EYE SPECIALIST IN ORDER 
TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF MUGABE ASKING FOR FAVORS AND THE 
POSSIBILITY OF REBUFF.  WHILE THE ARGUMENTS ARE NEITHER NEW 
NOR CONVINCING, THE LETTER SHOWS A GOZ STILL SEEKING 
IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH THE U.S., EVEN AS IT WRITES OFF THE 
E.U. AND SOUTH AFRICA. 
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